By Ijezie Victor
Super Eagles and Napoli striker, Victor James Osimhen has won the 2023 Africa Best Player of the year award at the Confederation of Africa Football Awards, Daily Focus Nigeria is reporting.
The Nigerian striker beat competition from Egyptian and Liverpool winger Mohammed Salah and Morocco and PSG full back Achraf Hakimi, to clinch the restigious awards.
In the past year, the 24-year-old sensation has dazzled on the pitch for Napoli, playing a crucial role in securing the Serie A club’s first league triumph in 33 years. Osimhen was able to net an impressive 26 goals in 32 Serie A appearances last season, tallying an outstanding 31 goals across various competitions.
His stellar performances in Italy earned the Nigerian striker the Serie A Best Striker, Paolo Rossi, and Italian Footballers’ Association Player of The Year awards.He was also nominated for the Ballon d’Or and that put him in contention for the Globe Soccer award.
For country, Osimhen’s was impactful in Nigeria’s qualification for the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast. He finished as the top scorer in the qualification campaign, netting an impressive tally of 10 goals.
Osimhen now becomes the first Nigerian player to be named African Men’s Player of the Year in 24 years after Nwankwo Kanu won it in 1999.
Rashidi Yekini, Emmanuel Amuneke and Victor Ikpeba are the only other Nigerians who were previously named the best players on the continent.
